Molded two-part drawer front

ABSTRACT

A molded plastic two-part drawer front includes a first portion forming the exterior of the drawer from which may be molded to simulate carved decorations and a section portion forming the inner surface of the drawer front and incorporating dove-tailed slots formed vertically therein and a horizontal groove interconnecting said slots for the reception of dove-tailed ends of drawer side pieces and the forward edge of the drawer bottom respectively. The dove-tailed ends of the drawer side pieces are adapted to slide vertically into the dove-tailed slots in the second position so as to secure the drawer side portions to the composite drawer front.

United States Patent 1191 Chambers 1 MOLDED TWO-PART DRAWER FRONT [75]Inventor: Herbert R. Chambers, 1358 Vicksburg Dr., Southaven, Miss.38671 [73] Assignee: Spencer Industries, Inc.,

Youngstown, Ohio [22] Filed: Apr. 9, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 348,958

Related US. Application Data [63] Continuation of Set. No. 198,231, Nov.11, 1971,

abandoned.

[52] US. Cl 220/4 R; 217/12 R; 312/330 R [51] Int. Cl A171) 88/00 [58]Field of Search 220/4 R, 4 F; 217/12 R,

217/13 R, 43 R, 45; 312/330 R, 335 SM, 257 R, 257 A, 263, 264, 254

[451 July 22, 1975 Primary Examiner-William 1. Price AssistantExaminer-Stephen Marcus Attorney, Agent, or Firm--Webster B. Harpman[57] ABSTRACT A molded plastic two-part drawer front includes a firstportion forming the exterior of the drawer from which may be molded tosimulate carved decorations and a section portion forming the innersurface of the drawer front and incorporating dove-tailed slots formedvertically therein and a horizontal groove interconnecting said slotsfor the reception of dovetailed ends of drawer side pieces and theforward edge of the drawer bottom respectively. The dove-tailed ends ofthe drawer side pieces are adapted to slide vertically into thedove-tailed slots in the second position so as to secure the drawer sideportions to the composite drawer front.

10 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures PATENTED JUL 2 2 ms INVENTOR. Herbg f 2Chambers.

ATTOENE Y.

1 MOLDED TWO-PART DRAWER FRONT This application isa continuation ofapplication Ser. ,No. 198,231, filed Nov. ll, 1971, and now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION the same.

.- 2. Description of the Prior Art Prior structures of this type includethe conventional wooden. drawer construction wherein the front of thedrawer is. a wooden. piece having dove-tailed grooves formed on itsinner surface for slidably receiving and --retaining the dove-tailedends of the drawer sides of the drawer. Molded plastic drawer frontportions have been added to the wooden drawer front pieces for providingan improved decorative characteristic to the drawerfront as such moldedpieces may closely resemble carved wood. In the prior art structures themolded from portions of thetdrawers have been secured to the woodenfront pieces of the drawers by fasteners as known in the art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION iA molded two-part drawer front in which bothparts are capable of being molded by injection molding techniqueswherein the two-parts when assembled form a complete drawer frontcapable of receiving the forward dove-tailed ends of the drawer sides aswell as the forward end of the drawer bottom and eliminating the need ofthe wooden drawer front portion heretofor believed necessary.

DESCRIPTION OF THEDRAWINGS two-part drawer front when assembled withparts broken away and illustrating the forward ends of the drawer sidesand the forward portion of the drawer bottom assembled thereto.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the embodiment chosen forillustration, the molded two-part drawer front comprises a exteriorfront portion having top, bottom, and side walls 11, l2, l3 and 14respectively formed at right angles thereto and the outer edges of whichare provided with a continuous shoulder 15 therealong. The outwardportion of the exterior front portion 10 of the drawer may be obviouslymolded in any desired configuation. The inner portion of the exteriorfront portion 10 of the drawer front is provided with spaced verticalwalls 16 and 17 respectively which walls are spaced inwardly from theend walls 13 and 14 heretofor referred to, notches l8 and 19 are formedin the bottom wall 12 between each of the pairs of walls 16 and,l7respectively.

A second or inner portion 20 of the molded two-part drawer front isgenerally rectangular and conforms in overall shape and thickness withthe shoulder 15 heretofor referred to so that the same can be nestedthereagainst and cemented thereto as well as to the outer most narrowedges of the walls 16 and 17 of the exterior frontportion" Verticalslots 21' and 22 are formed in thesecond or inner portion 20 of themolded two-part drawer front and vertical ribs 23 and 24 respectivelyare formed on the innermost surface of the second or inner portion 2i)forregistry between the pairs of vertical walls l6and 17 respectivelyand as best seen in FIG. 2 of the drawings. The opposed surfaces of theribs 23 and 24 are formed onangles so 'as to're semble dove-tailedchannels and so as to be capable'of receiving the dove-tailed ends 25 ofdrawer side pieces 26. I

, A horizontal groove is formed in the inner surface of the second orinner portion 20 of the molded ,two pa-rt drawer front and extendsbetween the dovetailed shaped slots 21 and 22 and is adaptedjto receivethe forward narrowed edge of a drawer bottom 28. j I

It will occur to those skilled in the art that the exterior frontportion 10 and the second or inner portion 20 of the molded two-piecedrawer front canbe molded by conventional injection molding machines andwith multiple cavity molds so that the parts can be economicallyproduced. The drawer sides 26 and drawer .bottom28 heretofor referredto, may be formed of woodas in conventional drawer construction with rthe forward ends 25 of the drawer sides 26 being dove-tailed as alsocustomary. The dove-tailed slots 21 and-22 formed in the second or innerportion 20 receive and retain the dove-tailed ends 25 of the drawersides 26 and at the same time are capable of being formed in multiplecavity molds in an injection molding operation.

It will thus be seen that a molded two-part drawer front has beendisclosed which may be economically and rapidly produced with anydesired exterior configuration or design, and that it can be assembledso as to enable a wooden drawer bottom and wooden drawer sides to beassembled thereto in the conventional manner and thus result in apractical, inexpensive, and attractive drawer construction suitable foruse in various furniture pieces and the like.

Although but one embodiment of the present invention has beenillustrated and described it will be apparent to those skilled in theart that various changes and modifications may be made therein withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. A drawer front made of two plastic pieces for assembly to drawersides having dove-tailed end portions, said drawer front consisting of aseparately molded exterior piece and a separately molded inner piecearranged to be attached to one another, said inner piece having narrowvertical apertures formed therein with the walls of said inner piecedefining said apertures being oppositely inclined with respect to oneanother so as to form open bottom dove-tailed configurations for thereception of the dove-tailed end portions of said drawer sides, ribsformed on said inner piece alongside ,said narrow apertures forincreasing the thickness of said inner piece adjacent said apertures andincreasing the depth of said apertures.

2. The drawer front of claim 1 and wherein said two frontedge' of'adrawer bottompositioned between said drawer sidesz 1 1 The draweri:front set forth-in claim and wherein said jnneppiece hasa, top edge andabottom edge and said ,narrow.apertures,terminatejnwardly of said topedge-andlextend, through said bottom edge,

, 5. A drawer frontfmade of two plastic pieces for assembly to drawer.sides having dove-tailed end portions, said dr'awerfror t consistingof aseparately molded exterior piece and a separately molded inner piecearrange be attached to one another, said inner piecerrowwertical"apertures formed therein with theiwalls of said" innerpiece defining said apertures being oppositely inclinedwith respect toone another "'fo mopenbot'torn dove-tailed configurations of thedove-tailed end portions of said pa ced vertical walls positioned insaid forfe n'gagejment against said inner piece onfith'er s de of saidnarrow apertures formed therein.

tiA f izl'raw'e'r front made 'of two plastic pieces for assemb'ty'jwrawer sideshavi'n'g dove-tailed end portions, saiddrawerfront consistingof a separately molded exter'iorjpiece anda separately molded innerpiece arranged-:to' be attached "to one'another, said inner piecehaviri'g'riarrow vertical apertures formed therein withthepwallsiof.-sai'd"inner piece defining said aperturesbeing-zoppos'itely inclined with respect to one another so,- as' 'toforrrf open'bottom dove-tailed configurations forgtherecption -of thedove-tailed end portions of said drawer sides, right angular top, bottomand side wall extensions .on said exterior piece, a continuous shoulder.beingformed around the inner edges of said extensions,,the inner; piecebeing of a size and shape for registry on .said continuous shoulder ofsaid extensions.

,17. A drawer front made of two plastic pieces for assemblyto drawersides having dove-tailed end portions, said, drawer front consisting ofa separately molded exterior piece and a separately molded inner piecearranged to be attached to one another, said inner piece having narrowvertical apertures formed therein with the walls-ofsaid inner piecedefining said apertures being oppositely inclined with respect to oneanother so as to' form open bottom dove-tailed configurationsforthereception of the dove-tailed end portions of said drawer sides,ribs formed on said inner piece alongside said narrow apertures forincreasing the thickness of said inner piece adjacent said apertures andincreasing the depth of said apertures and wherein the exterior.

piece has spaced, vertical walls positioned therein for engagementagainst the inner piece on either side of said apertures.

8. A drawer front made of two plastic pieces for assembly to drawersides having dove-tailed end portions, said drawer front consisting of aseparately molded exterior piece and a separately molded inner piecearranged to be attached to one another, said inner piece having narrowvertical apertures formed therein with the walls of said inner piecedefining said apertures being oppositely inclined with respect to oneanother so as to form open bottom dove-tailed configurations for thereception of the dove-tailed end portions of said drawer sides, ribsformed on said inner piece alongside said narrow apertures forincreasing the thickness of said inner piece adjacent said apertures andincreasing;

the depth of said apertures and wherein the exterior piece has spacedmembers positioned therein for en;

gagement against said ribs. v a

9. In a drawer assembly having a front panel and sides and a bottomjoined to the front panel: the improve ments in which said sides havecontinuous dove-tail tenons thereon, said front panel has dove-tailslots therein to receive and interlock with said'dove-tail tenons; andsaid front panel has a plain slot extending between said dove-tail slotsin position to receive said bottom along a margin thereof, said frontpanel further being comprised of separately formed pieces, meansaligning said shells in assembling and cooperating means in said piecesforming said dove-tail slots upon assembly of said pieces.

10. In a drawer front panel the improvement consisting of a first bodyforming the exposed front of the drawer panel and a second body formingthe interior of the drawer panel, said first body being formed with antjon-to constitute dove-tail slots opening through said second body.

1. A drawer front made of two plastic pieces for assembly to drawersides having dove-tailed end portions, said drawer front consisting of aseparately molded exterior piece and a separately molded inner piecearranged to be attached to one another, said inner piece having narrowvertical apertures formed therein with the walls of said inner piecedefining said apertures being oppositely inclined with respect to oneanother so as to form open bottom dove-tailed configurations for thereception of the dove-tailed end portions of said drawer sides, ribsformed on said inner piece alongside said narrow apertures forincreasing the thickness of said inner piece adjacent said apertures andincreasing the depth of said apertures.
 2. The drawer front of claim 1and wherein said two plastic pieces are attached to one another.
 3. Thedrawer front set forth in claim 1 and wherein a horizontal groove isformed in said inner piece between said narrow apertures for thereception of the front edge of a drawer bottom positioned between saiddrawer sides.
 4. The drawer front set forth in claIm 1 and wherein saidinner piece has a top edge and a bottom edge and said narrow aperturesterminate inwardly of said top edge and extend through said bottom edge.5. A drawer front made of two plastic pieces for assembly to drawersides having dove-tailed end portions, said drawer front consisting of aseparately molded exterior piece and a separately molded inner piecearranged to be attached to one another, said inner piece having narrowvertical apertures formed therein with the walls of said inner piecedefining said apertures being oppositely inclined with respect to oneanother so as to form open bottom dove-tailed configurations for thereception of the dove-tailed end portions of said drawer sides, spacedvertical walls positioned in said exterior piece for engagement againstsaid inner piece on either side of said narrow apertures formed therein.6. A drawer front made of two plastic pieces for assembly to drawersides having dove-tailed end portions, said drawer front consisting of aseparately molded exterior piece and a separately molded inner piecearranged to be attached to one another, said inner piece having narrowvertical apertures formed therein with the walls of said inner piecedefining said apertures being oppositely inclined with respect to oneanother so as to form open bottom dove-tailed configurations for thereception of the dove-tailed end portions of said drawer sides, rightangular top, bottom and side wall extensions on said exterior piece, acontinuous shoulder being formed around the inner edges of saidextensions, the inner piece being of a size and shape for registry onsaid continuous shoulder of said extensions.
 7. A drawer front made oftwo plastic pieces for assembly to drawer sides having dove-tailed endportions, said drawer front consisting of a separately molded exteriorpiece and a separately molded inner piece arranged to be attached to oneanother, said inner piece having narrow vertical apertures formedtherein with the walls of said inner piece defining said apertures beingoppositely inclined with respect to one another so as to form openbottom dove-tailed configurations for the reception of the dove-tailedend portions of said drawer sides, ribs formed on said inner piecealongside said narrow apertures for increasing the thickness of saidinner piece adjacent said apertures and increasing the depth of saidapertures and wherein the exterior piece has spaced, vertical wallspositioned therein for engagement against the inner piece on either sideof said apertures.
 8. A drawer front made of two plastic pieces forassembly to drawer sides having dove-tailed end portions, said drawerfront consisting of a separately molded exterior piece and a separatelymolded inner piece arranged to be attached to one another, said innerpiece having narrow vertical apertures formed therein with the walls ofsaid inner piece defining said apertures being oppositely inclined withrespect to one another so as to form open bottom dove-tailedconfigurations for the reception of the dove-tailed end portions of saiddrawer sides, ribs formed on said inner piece alongside said narrowapertures for increasing the thickness of said inner piece adjacent saidapertures and increasing the depth of said apertures and wherein theexterior piece has spaced members positioned therein for engagementagainst said ribs.
 9. In a drawer assembly having a front panel andsides and a bottom joined to the front panel: the improvements in whichsaid sides have continuous dove-tail tenons thereon, said front panelhas dove-tail slots therein to receive and interlock with said dove-tailtenons; and said front panel has a plain slot extending between saiddove-tail slots in position to receive said bottom along a marginthereof, said front panel further being comprised of separately formedpieces, means aligning said shells in assembling and cooperating meansin said pieces forming said dove-tail slots upon assembly of saidpieces.
 10. In a drawer froNt panel the improvement consisting of afirst body forming the exposed front of the drawer panel and a secondbody forming the interior of the drawer panel, said first body beingformed with an inner-continuous surface having flanges bounding itsperiphery, said flanges all being on the same side of said surface; saidsecond body being sized to fit with and be aligned by said flanges onsaid first body; and means on said bodies including projectionsselectively distributed over said inner surface on said first body andcooperating projections distributed over said second body in positionswithin the bounds of said flanges to be engaged by said first mentionedprojections, certain of said projections being elongated and arranged inspaced relation to constitute dove-tail slots opening through saidsecond body.